Deck the Halls
by SweetGumdrop
Summary: It's better to have loved and lost than not loved at all. It's a whole other concept to continuously love and lose that special One.


Sladin prompt for** Rachael**. 'Funny fluffy stuff,' is what she requested and it is the most difficult thing I've ever had to write… and which I failed at but I hope this is good enough. It really isn't as long as it seems.

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**Deck the Halls**

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Slade sat in stunned silence as he watched the late barista rush through the store, dump his bag then hurriedly dragged his apron over his head. The redheaded cashier laughed and shook his head at the new man who seemed to be a bit out of his teenaged years before he pointed at Slade's table.

His heart leaped into his throat and tears burned the corner of his eyes as blue eyes he was much too familiar with headed his way. With each step the young man took to his table, Slade felt his heart swell and swell. "Good evening sir, may I take your order?" No recognition. No hitch in his voice. The boy did not remember him. His Boy, did not know who he was.

His soul mate, did not recognize him.

The pain twisted his heart and his stomach gurgled uncomfortable.

No!

Grabbing his things and his papers he hastily shoved them into his briefcase. "Sir?" Slender fingers griped his shoulder and with more force than necessary he shoved the boy away. Blinded by pain and rage, he only glimpsed at the frightened blue eyes propelling downwards, barely heard the scream of "Robin!" from the cashier before he was out the door.

He'd tried so hard to not meet the boy again. Robin. Dick Greyson. Night Wing. Richard Wayne. It more or less always turned out the same way. Blindly he ran, far away from the coffee shop and far from the pain that would await him.

He was going to die soon. That much he knew with certainty.

He didn't want to woo Robin in this life. He'd done it before and only succeeded once. They'd died together that life.

Making his way through a park he nearly knocked a child over, his mother rushing from the bench she was occupying to scoop him up and fuss over him. She yelled obscenities at his back but he didn't turn around. He needed to clear his head.

Farther and farther he stomped through the park til he was near the back entrance then he veered off the path to collapse behind a small bundle of tall grass. Rubbing the heel of his hand over his eyes he remembered the cashier's face. He knew that face too. He'd plotted to kill that face once before but had stopped when he realised that he would not get his boy even if he succeeded.

Taking deep breaths he focused on the smile that he hadn't seen in a century. The lithe body that his soul craved and not for the first time he found himself thinking back to dimensions before, on his first life, wondering if his soul had been cursed. To live forever, finding the one that would complete him, only have their lives cut short should they be together or for his destined one to find someone who he thought was his soul mate.

It was also always only Slade who could remember their previous meetings, always Slade who suffered the heartache. Only Slade who'd have sleepless nights with blue eyes and bright smiles haunting his dreams.

Staring up into the orange sky, the setting sun down on the horizon, he reminisced on the past. The first time he'd met the other half of his soul. That time, they had lived in another dimension, one where aliens and monsters; villans and heroes lived. He'd been the villan and ironically, the boy had been the hero. He'd called himself Robin and completed his look with tights and a cape.

Slade chuckled. His laugh soon turned bittersweet when he remembered the first time he and Robin had been intimate. It had been rough play but it was something. He remembered the first and last time they teamed up together. To fight an alien invasion. They'd lost. It had been a pathetic fight. Absolutely no match for the beasts and he and Robin had died. Impaled by pole that neither of them had seen coming.

He remembered his next life, when he came into contact with Dick Greyson. The son of the Flying Greysons. This had been the human dimension, or at least as human as it could be with the werewolves being the dominant species and other things that went bump in the night but they were protected by the wolves. He hadn't gotten to know that Robin well. Just when Slade had managed to catch him after on of his acts in his family's circus, compliment him on his acrobatic skills, a war had broken out over a few Omega wolves that wanted to give their mates chase but had ended up in the arms of other wolves. It had been bloody and the Alphas spared no humans. Neither he nor Robin.

Slade shivered. Robin had died in front of him. He'd had to sit and watch as once bright blue turned dull and unseeing.

Turning on his side he remembered Night Wing. In a whole other dimension that held so many secrets to the worlds. To the universe and all the dimensions. To his soul and the curse it bore.

He was a philosopher and a shape-shifter. He had the power to bend shadows to his will and could transport items or himself as he pleased.

He'd met Night Wing on one of his journeys. By this life he knew that he'd be meeting another version of Robin and he'd been prepared. His home, he'd toiled and made, with intentions of having a family with this dimension's Robin.

However.

He hadn't taken into account the fact that, unlike him, Robin could love another.

The Flash, the fastest centaur to ever have walked the lands, and when he gazed at Robin, appearance sharper, older, hair taller but eyes still that mesmerizing blue, his heart broke just a little more everyday when he saw the love and adoration in Robin's eyes when he gazed at his redheaded lover.

The cashier he'd seen not too long ago.

He'd done everything he could think of to woo the man away but he was loyal. He'd even told his the story of his cursed soul but, like him, they had plans for a family, a female elf already volunteering her body to incubate their child. Nonetheless he'd tried, and tried and just when he'd stolen a kiss, one that he'd waited so long for, Robin broke down. Sobbing and berating his weak flesh. Hating and despising himself for giving into lust so easily.

Slade had wanted to murder the centaur then. Get rid of him before Robin confessed what they had done, but on the night of his plan when Robin was supposed to be away, he watched them curl together while Robin cried his heart out and begged for forgiveness on his knees.

He'd never dreamed of such a mighty man down on his knees.

He'd given up then.

He hadn't found love afterwards, but he did settle with a woman of his own kind. He hadn't loved her, but he did love the beautiful daughter she'd given him. Rose was her name.

He'd kept tabs on Robin and his mongrel centaur too. Though he loathed to admit it. It had given him morbid glee when he'd learned that the child they sung so hard to create had died after a week of taking breath.

Their union had not survived the trauma. The mongrel left. Robin died of heartbreak in the house and all it's trash. Slade had looked down at the body, cheeks stained with tears before he'd kicked dirt on him and left.

Slade felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment at the last bit of that memory. That had most certainly been uncalled for and quite childish. He turned onto his other side and thought of the last memory. The only memory that he was sure was keeping him sane.

Richard Wayne.

Son of Bruce Wayne. Owner and CEO of Wayne enterprises.

He'd met the young Wayne on the plane to an island in the Caribbean. He couldn't remember which one, it'd been so long ago, but unlike the other lives, the young man, about as young as the first time he'd met a Robin, had tried to seduce him.

He'd never laughed so much in his life.

He remembered them having lunch and breakfast a lot on the hotel grounds. The boy could swim! He'd lost many races in the pools. It was after he'd lost that last time that Robin had rewarded him with a kiss for his efforts.

There had been electricity.

And this time, he wasn't the only one feeling it. They hurried to Robin's room upon the boy's insistence and Slade had been impressed. Robin had already thought it through. He'd been waiting for Slade to make a move but apparently 'like his old age, he was too slow,' Slade had laughed before he shoved the teen down on the bed and kissed him. Kissed like there'd be no tomorrow. Like he'd never get the chance to again.

He'd slowly and meticulously prepared him to the point that Robin started complaining but after Slade took his cock into his mouth and gave a few sucks the teen had quieted. Pushing inside Robin for the first time in over a millenia stole his breath and reassured him that yes, he loved this boy and wanted to be with him for the rest of his life. He took his time. Drew out both their pleasure untill they weren't much more than tangled limbs in a sweaty heap and then after reaching their peak they'd collapsed and slept til morning.

Thinking back on it, they should have stayed at the hotel. After just becoming an item Robin wanted to go out, experience hand made cultural food.

They hadn't even made it to the diner before they'd been victims of a drive by shooting.

But not again.

He pushed himself up and was prepared to pound his head into his briefcase until maybe he passed out of gave himself a concussion when he heard shouting.

"Robin!" Turning he saw the boy, wide blue eyes racing down the path to him followed by a blob or red hair and panicked green eyes.

"I found him!" Robin called back, barely tilting his head over his shoulder to his companion his eyes glued to Slade's. Slade narrowed his eye at the duo as he pushed up to his feet and dusted the grass and dirt from his clothes. Robin and his friend, not a mongrel in this life, were panting while he gazed at them. If Robin was looking for an apology, he wasn't going to get one.

"You work at the lab down the street from our shop right? You teach a few classes at the university?" Robin gasped out, holding his ribs. This Robin wasn't as athletic as the others.

"So what of it?" With twinkling blue eyes, the teen shoved a paper bag at him. When he made no move to accept it, he shoved it under Slade's arm and backed up a few steps so the man wouldn't give it back.

"My name's Robin. This is my older brother Red," he jerked his thumb behind him. He let his eyes slide over the redhead who did seem older than Robin but not by much before he raised a slender brow. He smirked when the redhead cringed under his stare. "He's my adoptive brother, just a year older."

"And?"

"I- I just wanted to let you know," Robin mumbled pushing some hair behind his ears. This was such a weird Robin. As if he was a compilation of all his other Robins.

"Dude," Red whined, "he's old. And he has an eye-patch!"

"The heart wants what the heart wants!" With a smirk at his brother, and a wink at Slade, he spun on his heels before he sauntered off.

For reasons that he couldn't explain, Slade felt that this life would be different.

/

Slade chuckled lowly to himself as he looked at the lips in the broth of his coffee. Robin just wouldn't stop. They'd been having meetings on and off, trying to find equal grounds for each in the relationship they had going that was still very new and Slade could honestly say he was enjoying himself.

He hadn't stopped coming to the coffee shop after the bag of cookies that Robin had given him that'd had little flowers on them and at the bottom of the bag had been the boy's number. He'd been hesitant but after a while he'd just decided to call and the phone picked up after the first ring. "Robin?"

"Hey!" The confidence from that afternoon was apparently no where to be found as it had taken some taunts and jeers before Robin was comfortable enough to start up some playful bantering. They had talked for hours. Seemingly all night. Slade had been the one to put his foot down at 3am and had promptly hung up when Robin tried to insult him to keep him on the line. He'd slept better that night than he had without Rose by his side.

Cooling his drink, he watched as Robin hustled around on the double shift he'd taken since the Christmas time was nearing. Red was off on the other side of the cafe taking extra care to avoid being in Slade's direct line of sight.

He hadn't been able to contain his hate from centuries deep and now he couldn't stand the mongrel. Robin hated when they fought and they mostly held themselves together for Robin's sake but behind the young man's back they were cats and dogs.

Red hated his age and Slade hated his existence.

Plopping down in the seat across from him, Robin laced his fingers together and nibbled nervously on his bottom lip. Tonight they were going to spend their 5 month anniversary, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at Slade's apartment and from the fidgeting that'd been going on all week, Robin was nervous.

Setting his drink aside he gently placed a palm a top Robin's and gave a slight squeeze. "You know I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to do," Slade murmured keeping his voice light. Robin squeezed his hand back before he was up from the table and pushing into the back room to gather his belongings.

If there was one thing this weird Robin had that all his other Robin's also had was the amazing blue eyes and the stubbornness that could rival a mule's.

Robin came out a few minutes later with a thick jacket, a hat on his head, gloves on his fingers and leather boots that Slade had bought him a few days before. The snow this winter was brutal. It kept falling in torrents and it made Slade wonder if that was how they were going to die. He didn't want to be morbid, especially not on a holiday that Robin treasured but he couldn't help it.

It didn't feel like he'd spent enough time with his boy yet. He needed more time. "You're scrunching up your face again," Robin commented sliding his hand into Slade's. Looking down at the young man, leaning against him, smile on his lips and love, or what Slade hoped to be love, in his eyes, he let his worries go. For just today. Maybe tomorrow too, he'd just live.

They drove to Slade's apartment in silence and the older man watched as Robin tried to calm himself by bouncing in place. The nerves seemed to get even worse when Slade led the way into his room and closed the door behind him. "Robin," he growled shrugging his jacket off. He didn't get to say much else as Robin pressed himself all along the taller man's body and pressed a firm a kiss to his lips.

"I want you. I'm nervous because it's going to be my first time but... I can't explain it! You'll think I'm childish," turning away he stripped off his clothes. Standing in the hallway, the muscles in his abdomen flexing with nerves. Slade greedily eyed him feeling the front of his pants tighten as his erection grew.

"Tell me," he demanded stripping his clothes, all of them as he moved to entrap his young lover in his arms and pepper his neck with kisses.

"For me... It just feels like I've been waiting." Slade stopped kissing. Robin was back to scratching the palms of his hands. "Its like I've seen you before. Like I know you. And I've just been waiting." He could tell that his breath was picking up. "Some of the things you tell me don't surprise me like it should," Robin turned to face him them, blue eyes full of wonder, "instead I feel like I should be saying 'I know'," Robin laughed just shy of nervously. "Sounds crazy doesn't it?"

"Not at all." Sweeping Robin up into his arms he kissed him as passionately as he could while he moved to the bedroom. Keeping the squirming teen balanced while he pushed into the room was a challenge but he made it there mostly unscathed before he dumped the giggling teen on the bed before he went to search for condoms and lube.

Pausing in front of his drawer he listened to his stomach rumble. Oh. He hadn't eaten all afternoon. Looking down at him, he wrapped a palm around his cock as he started to stroke. A strangled sound from the bed had him tilting his head over to look at Robin. A dark blush on his face even though he was sporting a hard-on too. "I'm hungry," Slade stated flatly.

"So you're gonna jerk off?" The crude language was another feature of this Robin that he hadn't quite wrapped around his head as yet.

"Yes. Then we're going to have a meal."

"But," the teen rolled off the bed and sauntered along. "Wouldn't it just be better to just get it on?" Stripping his boxers to his ankles Robin shook a leg out then flung his leg over and perched it on top of the spread. Enjoying the view he speed up his pumps. "Seriously?" Robin whined dropping down on the bed.

Pulling a small bottle of lube from the drawer he lubed himself up before he draped himself over Robin's body. "I can prepare myself you know," the teen breathed spreading his legs so Slade could fit between them.

Slowly he started rubbing his cock between the teen's ass cheeks as he reached around to stroke Robin's erection. "Slade," he moaned pushing his behind higher. They didnt last long together as Slade wasn't trying to draw it out and after a few minutes of catching their breaths Slade got up frist, cleaned them off with a towel from the bathroom then made his way to the kitchen.

Slade was in the middle of grating cheese on top of the lasagna he'd had set in the fridge earlier that afternoon. "Oh? I didn't know you could cook!" Robin exclaimed slapping Slade's bottom as he passed.

"This is the only thing I know to make. It's Christmas Eve. I thought that we might as well have something remotely filling to hold us until we could we could get to your house. I learned how to make it a few days ago."

"Aww! Did you learn just for me?" Robin cooed a cheeky grin on his lips, his brilliant blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Slade rolled his eyes heaven ward as he placed the finished meal into the oven. As he straightened up Robin lunged at him and just because he didn't want the teen to have head injury he caught him. "You are so sweet! I swear! Are you made of berries and honey?" He mumbled and slurred as he rubbed their noses together. Snorting at the ridiculousness of it all he clamped his teeth down on pouting lips. Robin was laughing and trying to tug his lips away at the same time. "Sharade!"

Laughing, Slade relented and let him go. "Merry Christmas Robin."

"Merry Christmas my honey bunches of oats!"

Slade gave him a flat look, "Really Robin? Really?"

Snickering, the teen wiggled out of his arms and bounced over to the couches. "It's all on you big man," he sighed dramatically, the back of a hand pressed against his forehead as he collapsed on the couch, "you turn me in a happy sap when I'm around you," he shook his head a frown on his face. Choosing to ignore rather than indulge the boy, his boy, he went to check on their meal.

Turning the heat up just a bit more the beginnings of slow music started up in the apartment. Turning he saw Robin waltzing by himself, in the nude. Slade had never laughed harder. "Cmon! Don't just stand there!" Putting his back into it he dragged Slade out of the little kitchen and into his makeshift ballroom and attempted to lead them but Slade was a rock who would not be moved. No matter the grunts or groans or cursing Robin had going on. "Fine! You lead!"

"As it should be," he felt quite smug and gave Robin a peck on his lips for his troubles. He hadn't known that Robin could dance so well. Twirling and spinning across the room mocking Robin when he missed a step and Robin purposely trying to trip him up every now and again. Slade found it hard to keep the smile off his face.

A ding interrupted them and they parted after sharing a languid kiss. Robin perched on the edge of the counter top while Slade cut the Lasagna into large slices that would most likely hold them out until breakfast.

Eating dinner was much harder and messier than it should have been. Robin was determined to make a mess with the cheese and the spaghetti and after around twenty minutes of trying to get the boy to behave Slade had had enough. "Boy!" he barked. He snorted a laugh when Robin jumped, though he really should be mad. Hauling the young man up he tossed him over his shoulder as he marched to the bedroom.

"Hey! I'm not done!" Robin squirmed, wiggling and trying to get free. A split second second Robin yelped when Slade firmly smacked his behind. Robin went silent and he wondered if perhaps he had crossed the line but a reposition later and Robin's erection pressing into his shoulder quelled his worries.

Dropping down onto the edge of the bed Robin eagerly rearranged himself across Slade's lap on his belly. "I think I've been a naughty boy this year Santa."

"And naughty boys deserve a spanking don't you think?" Slade murmured his voice a low murmur looking on as he kneaded a cheek in his palm. Raising slightly he smacked down, watching Robin's fingers twist in the sheets, a strangled moan rushing past his lips. "On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me..." he trailed off. Robin looked up at him sharply.

"Hell no!" Slade smacked him again.

"Sing," he ordered rubbing the reddening cheek. With cheeks tinted a lovely shade of red Robin muttered out.

"A partridge in a pear tree."

Raising his hand again he smack both cheeks but near the base of the boy's spine. Robin's arch was beautiful. "On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

"Slade! I barely know the song!" A smack later, slightly stinging and Robin was heaving. "Two damn turtle doves and a partridge in a," he took a gulp of air, "a pear tree!" Slade pushed down on his shoulders blades to settle him again.

Rubbing small circles he raised his hand again and smacked down near the side, Robin wouldn't guess where the slaps were coming. Feeling warmth on his leg he guessed that Robin was either leaking heavily or he just came. "On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

"Three something, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!" he shouted. Slade was really enjoying this Christmas. Reaching over he grabbed the bottle of lube and poured some into the palm of his hand. "Go lay down on the bed," he smirked. Robin gingerly crawled away a draped himself over a pillow his hips raised on it.

"And it's three French hens."

"Who gives a damn?" A smack later and Robin was whining.

"On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." he raised his arm to deliver another smack but Robin was already muttering.

"Uhmm oh yea! Four uhm calling birds, three ah French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!" he sang, voice cracking at the end. Slade snickered as he crawled over the boy and after making sure he'd properly and generously coated all his fingers he raised Robin's hip a bit more and after teasing his hole for a few minutes he pushed in. Robin grunted and Slade felt him squeezing his finger. A smack on an ass cheek later and bewildered blue eyes turned to him. Slade smirked down at him while he worked the finger in and out.

"On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

"Five golden rings!" he hollered most likely out of spite but it was enough to distract him from Slade sliding another finger in alongside the first. Robin groaned, pushing back against the digits. "Four something there, three something here, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!" Slade slipped another finger in. Robin grunted and gripped him even tighter than before.

"Relax," Slade murmured watching his fingers thrusting in and out for a few moments before he started to scissor them.

"Your fingers are too damn big!" The teen complained but relaxed his body nonetheless. "Hurry up. I don't think I'll last much longer," he groaned burying his face into the sheets. Pulling his fingers free Slade ripped a condom open using his teeth before he rolled it on and applied a little more lube to himself.

"Do you want to lie down on your back?"

"Yea, I wanna see you," turning over and opening his legs he pulled his older lover between them as he slotted their lips together in a tender kiss. Easing his hips up he let Slade guide the head of his dick to his hole and held his breath as he pushed in.

The pain was expected.

He gasped and Slade stilled. "Just breathe. Breathe," he coaxed but he could tell that it was taking a lot of effort. "Do you want to stop?"

"Is it all the way in?" Robin ignored his question.

"About an inch or two left," rolling his hips Robin encouraged him to push all the way in.

"Shit," A groan and a few squeezes that had Slade seeing stars and finally Robin relaxed. "You can move," he muttered, face buried in the crook of Slade's neck. He moved slowly, kissing, biting a licking Robin's neck and jaw line, roaming the teen's body with his hands and kissing his as passionately as he could he hoped to convey his feelings for his boy.

Slade brought them to a climax. He shuddered as Robin chanted his name whilst the boy came between them and Slade inside. He groaned and rolled them over. Robin sprawled on top of him. His bedside clock chimed a tune and looking over, spitting some of Robin's hair from his mouth he saw the clock read 12. "Merry Christmas Robin," he murmured kissing the top of his head.

"Go to sleed Slade. 'M tired."

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**MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

Reviews are much appreciated :)


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